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Two large, loud dogs. edit: Before I get a bunch of downvote nonsense, this is a serious answer. Dogs (especially big ones that bark when excited) are terrific

by beat 8y ago

Two large, loud dogs. edit: Before I get a bunch of downvote nonsense, this is a serious answer. Dogs (especially big ones that bark when excited) are terrific home protection. No intruder is going to risk a tussle with a couple of big dogs hell-bent on protecting their home. Plus they're totally good with people they already know and trust arriving, even if we aren't there. All a camera will do is record the fact that you're being robbed.

mikestew 8y ago
I believe that has been advice in lieu of security systems for decades. That metal front gate opens, the giant head of that pit bull/mastiff mix pops up with a "woof", and no one has to know that a piece of cheese would allow you slip right past him. I didn't get him for "protection", the dog needed a home and no one else was taking him. But his size and looks do have their perks. Didn't Myth Busters do a show on how a piece of steak will get you past all but specifically-trained guard dogs? The only danger one would face with our dogs is getting knocked down while they try and get the steak.
- beat 8y ago
  Sure, if someone is really determined to get past guard dogs, they can. But a casual burglar isn't going to bother. One of mine is 95 pounds of black lab/german shepherd mutt with a massive baritone bark, but he's totally harmless, except for maybe knocking you over. The other one is 35 pounds and so cute that people assume he's a she, but he's actually bitten at least three different people while overprotecting the house and yard, and I have no doubt he'd die fighting. (And the new next door neighbor learned what he already knew, which was to not stick your hand over the fence to pet the barking dog who doesn't know you and is very concerned that you're in the yard of his friends, even when that dog is small and cute.)
  - rhizome 8y ago
    What proportion of burglaries are committed by "casual" perpetrators? Steak is cheap.
  - davinic 8y ago
    Sounds like you should be more concerned about losing your assets in a civil lawsuit than through burglary.
    - beat 8y ago
      Shocking as it may seem, I don't care. I have dogs because I love them. Their value as a home security system is just a bonus.
- sschueller 8y ago
  While most dogs might get easily distracted by food, most will sense when their owner is in fear or danger and will attempt to protect them irregardless of the distraction.
  - mimixco 8y ago
    My pit gets upset if someone stresses me out over the phone. I would pity anyone who tried to come in my house and mess with me. I sleep very well at night.
- DyslexicAtheist 8y ago
  depends a lot on the character of the dog, one of my dogs was food oriented for reward the Mals I have don't touch food even from anyone until they hear the OK. This can be trained away and is an essential part of French Ring (or Schutzhund) brevet. e.g. the the training police dogs get, and usually can't be enticed with food (at least when well conditioned not to - even in absence of an owner or command).
cordonbleu 8y ago
a large loud dog[s] with a litter of pups works even better. [plus] to extend the logic, defending a litter takes great priority over a steak snack.
mimixco 8y ago
Indeed. When pitched a security product on Shark Tank, Robert Herjavek said a home security vendor once told him the best security is "get a dog." I never worry about anyone coming in my house with a Pit Bull and a Mountain Cur inside. :-)
protomyth 8y ago
Dogs are poor witnesses, and sadly, the penalty for poison is pretty low in most areas of the country. All a camera will do is record the fact that you're being robbed. A security system often has decent sensors to alert you even over the phone which dogs do have trouble with.
- xvector 8y ago
  Most robbers are probably not unethical enough to resort to killing pets in order to rob a house. Most robbers would probably rather just rob a house without dogs than one with dogs. Dogs likely raise the barrier to entry for a robbery and criminals will usually just choose easier targets.
  - protomyth 8y ago
    Dogs raise a barrier, but these are people trying to rob your house. The ethical argument goes right out the window. If you are going to get a dog to be part of your family then do that, but getting a dog as a security system is just a poor idea.
    - xvector 8y ago
      There is a big difference between robbery and murder. Just because you commit a crime doesn't mean you lack empathy.
      - protomyth 8y ago
        A lot of folks (including the law) don't consider killing dogs murder. You are dealing with people with low or no morals.
  - DyslexicAtheist 8y ago
    probably depends. 2 or 3 is better than 1 in that case. Although where I live now we have gipsy gangs roaming the hoods and kidnap your dogs - then make you pay a ransome to get them back. If you don't pay you get an ear or the tail (or worse) on your porch. EDIT: small dogs can be an advantage in this case https://twitter.com/thegrugq/status/973969277647638529 https://twitter.com/thegrugq/status/973969277647638529
abc-xyz 8y ago
As someone who's had the misfortune of living next to poorly trained dogs, I really hope your neighbours won't be able to hear their barking.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
DyslexicAtheist 8y ago
seconded. 2 Belgian Malinois trained in French Ring which is the French equivalent of "Schutzhund" (minus the tracking). 3 years old they won't take food from strangers and are stable and confident as fuck. They once pinned a junkie into a corner of the garden which jumped the fence to burgle us while we were out. He was stuck for several hours (until the neighbors called us to inform us that "they're barking an awful lot today". The guy wasn't harmed but neither did he dare to move. :D Though the reason we got these boys was because our border collie was getting really old and let 2 guys jump the fence and grab everything from the terrace while we were having a BBQ in the back yard (head-desk). We only found out because they grinned and waved to my daughter who was going to the front entrance to grab some stuff from the kitchen. Also she (the dog) wasn't trained like the Mals.
- illumin8 8y ago
  Sounds like you live in a dangerous neighborhood. Stay safe, friend!
Marsymars 8y ago
Talk of dogs as home defense always makes me think of this reddit thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eewou/iama_retired_cat_burglar_ama/c17l80u/ https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eewou/iama_retired_ca...

by beat 8y ago

mikestew 8y ago

I believe that has been advice in lieu of security systems for decades. That metal front gate opens, the giant head of that pit bull/mastiff mix pops up with a "woof", and no one has to know that a piece of cheese would allow you slip right past him. I didn't get him for "protection", the dog needed a home and no one else was taking him. But his size and looks do have their perks. Didn't Myth Busters do a show on how a piece of steak will get you past all but specifically-trained guard dogs? The only danger one would face with our dogs is getting knocked down while they try and get the steak.

beat 8y ago
Sure, if someone is really determined to get past guard dogs, they can. But a casual burglar isn't going to bother. One of mine is 95 pounds of black lab/german shepherd mutt with a massive baritone bark, but he's totally harmless, except for maybe knocking you over. The other one is 35 pounds and so cute that people assume he's a she, but he's actually bitten at least three different people while overprotecting the house and yard, and I have no doubt he'd die fighting. (And the new next door neighbor learned what he already knew, which was to not stick your hand over the fence to pet the barking dog who doesn't know you and is very concerned that you're in the yard of his friends, even when that dog is small and cute.)
- rhizome 8y ago
  What proportion of burglaries are committed by "casual" perpetrators? Steak is cheap.
- davinic 8y ago
  Sounds like you should be more concerned about losing your assets in a civil lawsuit than through burglary.
  - beat 8y ago
    Shocking as it may seem, I don't care. I have dogs because I love them. Their value as a home security system is just a bonus.
sschueller 8y ago
While most dogs might get easily distracted by food, most will sense when their owner is in fear or danger and will attempt to protect them irregardless of the distraction.
- mimixco 8y ago
  My pit gets upset if someone stresses me out over the phone. I would pity anyone who tried to come in my house and mess with me. I sleep very well at night.
DyslexicAtheist 8y ago
depends a lot on the character of the dog, one of my dogs was food oriented for reward the Mals I have don't touch food even from anyone until they hear the OK. This can be trained away and is an essential part of French Ring (or Schutzhund) brevet. e.g. the the training police dogs get, and usually can't be enticed with food (at least when well conditioned not to - even in absence of an owner or command).

cordonbleu 8y ago

a large loud dog[s] with a litter of pups works even better. [plus] to extend the logic, defending a litter takes great priority over a steak snack.

mimixco 8y ago

Indeed. When pitched a security product on Shark Tank, Robert Herjavek said a home security vendor once told him the best security is "get a dog." I never worry about anyone coming in my house with a Pit Bull and a Mountain Cur inside. :-)

protomyth 8y ago

Dogs are poor witnesses, and sadly, the penalty for poison is pretty low in most areas of the country. All a camera will do is record the fact that you're being robbed. A security system often has decent sensors to alert you even over the phone which dogs do have trouble with.

xvector 8y ago
Most robbers are probably not unethical enough to resort to killing pets in order to rob a house. Most robbers would probably rather just rob a house without dogs than one with dogs. Dogs likely raise the barrier to entry for a robbery and criminals will usually just choose easier targets.
- protomyth 8y ago
  Dogs raise a barrier, but these are people trying to rob your house. The ethical argument goes right out the window. If you are going to get a dog to be part of your family then do that, but getting a dog as a security system is just a poor idea.
  - xvector 8y ago
    There is a big difference between robbery and murder. Just because you commit a crime doesn't mean you lack empathy.
    - protomyth 8y ago
      A lot of folks (including the law) don't consider killing dogs murder. You are dealing with people with low or no morals.
- DyslexicAtheist 8y ago
  probably depends. 2 or 3 is better than 1 in that case. Although where I live now we have gipsy gangs roaming the hoods and kidnap your dogs - then make you pay a ransome to get them back. If you don't pay you get an ear or the tail (or worse) on your porch. EDIT: small dogs can be an advantage in this case https://twitter.com/thegrugq/status/973969277647638529 https://twitter.com/thegrugq/status/973969277647638529

abc-xyz 8y ago

As someone who's had the misfortune of living next to poorly trained dogs, I really hope your neighbours won't be able to hear their barking.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

DyslexicAtheist 8y ago

seconded. 2 Belgian Malinois trained in French Ring which is the French equivalent of "Schutzhund" (minus the tracking). 3 years old they won't take food from strangers and are stable and confident as fuck. They once pinned a junkie into a corner of the garden which jumped the fence to burgle us while we were out. He was stuck for several hours (until the neighbors called us to inform us that "they're barking an awful lot today". The guy wasn't harmed but neither did he dare to move. :D Though the reason we got these boys was because our border collie was getting really old and let 2 guys jump the fence and grab everything from the terrace while we were having a BBQ in the back yard (head-desk). We only found out because they grinned and waved to my daughter who was going to the front entrance to grab some stuff from the kitchen. Also she (the dog) wasn't trained like the Mals.

illumin8 8y ago
Sounds like you live in a dangerous neighborhood. Stay safe, friend!

Marsymars 8y ago

Talk of dogs as home defense always makes me think of this reddit thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eewou/iama_retired_cat_burglar_ama/c17l80u/ https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eewou/iama_retired_ca...